France General Comments

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FRANCE

We have now left France and would like to comment on some of our observations.

France is a great country to visit. The people are very FRENCH, and very proud of there language, history and culture. We had very few language issues. ( there is always the odd idiot ). Accommodations are good and if you look around you can get some relatively reasonable rates.

Parking costs are an issue in the big centers, with up to 30 Euros a night at some places, and worth considering when reserving a room. Also 13 - 16 Euros for a continental breakfast is pushing it !! It also really ticks me off to pay very high prices for an internet connection. This is just an easy way to get you for a few more bucks. Some places are free and / or reasonable and it’s worth considering when booking a room. Costs to travel here are no different than the rest of Europe and in fact probably better.

The food is good and sometimes we feel you get more typical food in the small towns and cities than you get in the main centers that are trying to cater to the “tourists”. One of our best meals in France was at a restaurant called L’Oust Agou ( The Little House ), in Clermont-Ferrand and we ordered the local typical dishes.

The French countryside is beautiful and varied, from mountains to prairies and everything in between. We have been very lucky with the weather and that always makes things look better, but believe us this is a beautiful place under any conditions.

For those who are considering a driving trip in Europe, don’t hesitate !! ( If you have a few basic driving skills, a good, and up to date, GPS system and are not intimidated by some aggressive drivers. ) We enjoyed our driving adventure here and would come back to visit again.

The freedom and flexibility you get with your own car is worth the aggravation of parking costs and tolls. (We are all for tolls as “User Pays“ makes sense to us.). The view from a car is much different than a tour bus and if you want to stop you can. The highways are in great condition, the tunnels take out a lot of the crazy mountain roads, and for the most part the drivers are courteous and safe. The truck drivers in particular are professional and a pleasure to be on the road with ( again, there are always a few idiots that screw it up for the rest ).

We had a great time in France. Too much to see and do !! Paris, Versailles, Dijon, Clermont, Bordeaux and all the neat places in between. History, wine, cheese, food, scenery, great roads. France has it all ! And OH !! Those grilled duck sandwiches !!

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